(Reuters) – Australia have suffered more injury problems ahead of the white-ball leg of their tour of Pakistan with all-rounder Mitchell Marsh set to be ruled out with a hip injury.
Australia are already without test captain Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood for the three one-dayers, starting on Tuesday, and a lone Twenty20 match, with the fast bowling trio rested after the three-test series, which the tourists won 1-0.
Fast bowler Kane Richardson has also been ruled out due to a hamstring injury.
“He’s (Marsh) injured his hip-flexor, we think, at training,” captain Aaron Finch told reporters on Monday.
“We are going to have to wait and see what that looks like but I don’t think he’ll be available for the series based on how he was feeling yesterday.
“He sustained that in a fielding drill, it was a high intensity, lateral movement drill and he bent down to pick it up one-handed and went to throw and felt a twinge.”
Marsh, who was the player-of-the-match in Australia’s 2021 Twenty20 World Cup final win against New Zealand, could also miss the ongoing Indian Premier League where he was picked to represent Ricky Ponting-coached Delhi Capitals.
Cameron Green, who has played just one 50-overs match, is expected to fill the all-rounder’s slot in the Australia’s side.
“He will probably bat in that middle-order,” Finch said of the 22-year-old Green, who has played 12 tests.
“We’re seeing that he’s a super talented cricketer. He’s someone who has been quite consistent in his test career so far. His impact with the bat and ball can’t be underestimated. I’m really excited for Cam to get that opportunity.”
(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai; editing by Peter Rutherford)
